Grade 8 Social Science 2024-25 PDF

PRUDENCE SCHOOL, ASHOK VIHAR SOCIAL SCIENCE 2024-25 GRADE 8 (SPL) CHAPTER-5: UNDERSTANDING MARGINALISATION Marginalisation:- The word ‘marginalization’ simply means exclusion f...

PRUDENCE SCHOOL, ASHOK VIHAR SOCIAL SCIENCE 2024-25 GRADE 8 (SPL) CHAPTER-5: UNDERSTANDING MARGINALISATION Marginalisation:- The word ‘marginalization’ simply means exclusion from the mainstream. It is linked to experiencing disadvantage, prejudice, poverty and powerlessness. It results into low social status, unequal access to education and other resources of a person or a community. Reasons of marginalisation Individuals are marginalized because of their language, customs and beliefs. People are marginalized because of poverty, low social status and level of literacy. Lack of opportunities and less access to resources is another cause of marginalisation. In some cases size can be a disadvantage and lead to the marginalisation of the smaller communities. Therefore we can say that minority sections may feel marginalized on the basis of either social, economic, cultural or political aspects. Some marginalised communities in India are ADIVASIS MUSLIMS Adivasi: Meaning and salient feature The term Adivasis means "original inhabitants" who generally live in forests. They are not a homogenous [regular or fixed] population. There are over 500 different Adivasi groups living in India. They are particularly found in states like Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and in the north eastern states like Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura. There is very little hierarchy [order] present among them. This makes them very different from other communities that were built around jati-varna system. They practice a range of tribal religions that are different from Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. They do the worship of ancestors, mountain spirits, river spirits and nature spirits.  The village spirits are often worshipped at specific sacred groves within the village boundary while the ancestral ones are usually worshipped at home. They have been influenced by different religions like Buddhism, Vaishnav, Bhakti and Christianity. Some Adivasis religions have themselves also influenced dominant religions of the existing empire around them, for example the Jagannath cult of Odisha and Tantric traditions In Bengal and Assam. Adivasis have their own languages which are very different from other languages and are as old as Sanskrit. Orissa is known as more than 60% of tribal. Adivasis and stereotypes:- Adivasis are portrayed in very stereotypical ways like in colourful costumes, headgear [pagdi] and through their ways of dancing and singing. This leads us to believe that they are exotic, primitive, strange, unusual and backward. Sometimes, adivasis show resistance in accepting changes and new ideas which leads to their backwardness. All these reasons are responsible for us having a fixed image about them in our mind leading to stereotyping and hence create discrimination among them. CONTRIBUTION OF ADIVASIS TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY:- The Adivasis had a deep knowledge of the access as well as control over most of the forested areas. The forests under the adivasis were not ruled by large states and empires. Instead, often empires were greatly depended on Adivasis for the essential access to forest resources. VARIOUS REASONS FOR WHICH ADIVASIS HAD BEEN FORCED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THEIR LAND:- Adivasis were required to move from their home lands because of the following reasons: In the North-east, their lands remain highly militarized (battle-ready) and war torn. Forests were cleared for timber and to get land for agriculture and industry in plains. Powerful forces had always conspired to take over tribal land for all its rich natural wealth like minerals, core etc. India has 372 wildlife sanctuaries covering a large area made on tribal lands. Hundreds of dams have been constructed by clearing these forests. EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT POST INDEPENDENCE ON THE ADIVASI COMMUNITY OR  PROBLEMS FACED BY THE ADIVASIS AFTER THEY ARE DISPLACED FROM THEIR LANDS:- Due to large scale development activities that were undertaken by the government post- independence, many adivasis were forced to leave their land and move out of forests this resulted in the following effects on the lives of adivasis: They lost their land and access to the forest which resulted in the loss of their main sources of livelihood and food. Most Adivasis had to migrate to cities in search of work where they were employed for very low wages in local industries and at construction sites. Thus they were caught in a cycle of poverty and deprivation. Low levels of income resulted in low standards of living for the Adivasi community. When tribal got displaced from their lands they not only lost their source of income but also their traditions and customs- ‘a way of living and being’. Many tribal children remained malnourished because of lack of availability of food. Literacy rates among tribal remained very low, which made them poor and backward generation after generation. Adivasis and the minority status:- The term minority is most commonly used to refer to communities that are numerically small in relation to the rest of the population. In other words, Adivasis are also less in number than other communities and are thus referred to as the minorities. Adivasis are just 8 per cent of the total population of India. NOTE- These adivasis are now being officially come under the category of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. MUSLIMS:-THE LARGEST RELIGIOUS MINORITY OF INDIA:- Muslims are 13.4 per cent of India's population and are considered to be a marginalized community in India. In comparison to other communities they are deprived of many benefits like literacy and public employment. Muslim customs and practices are sometimes quite distinct from others. Muslims may wear burqha [a long black rope for ladies] sport a long beard, wear fez caps which becomes an easy ways to identify them. Due to this dressing style people don't mix up easily with them and this leads to stereotypes against them. The stereotyping of the community has resulted in their marginalisation. The social marginalisation often results in their migrating from their regular place of living to different places where only their community lives. This is known as 'ghettoisation’. Sometimes this also leads to hatred and violence in the society. NOTE- Justice Rajindar Sachar headed the committee set by the government in 2005 to look at the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India.  REASONS BEHIND ADIVASIS AND MUSLIMS BECOMING MARGINALIZED:- A] ADIVASIS OR THE TRIBAL GROUPS:- 1] They resist outside intervention and changes and like to live their traditional ways to follow their own culture. 2] They have their own different language and exotic style of dressing. B] MUSLIMS:- 1] They follow their own customs and traditions. 2] For their safety and security they like to live in Ghettos. 3] Due to their different attire which includes “burqah” for women and “Fez” for men, the Muslim community feels different from others. NEED TO SAFEGUARD THE MINORITIES:- The safeguards are needed to:- Protect minority communities against the possibility of being culturally dominated by the majority. Protect them against any discrimination. Communities that are small in number in society may feel insecure about their lives, assets and well-being. The Constitution provides these safeguards because it is committed to protecting India's cultural diversity and promoting equality as well as justice to all. THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PROTECTS THE RIGHT OF THE MINORITIES IN FOLLOWING WAYS:- Constitution provides safeguards to religious minorities as part of our Fundamental Rights. Safeguards are present to protect minority communities against the possibility of being culturally dominated by the majority. It also protects them against any discrimination and disadvantage that they may face. Economic and social conditions are interlinked and they impact a person. Eg:-If a person is poor, then the society doesn't give him/her the same respect and opportunities which a wealthy person easily gets. This happens because if a person is poor, he /she will not be able to educate himself/herself or others in his/her family and hence, he /she will never be able to meet up the standards of respect and recognition created by the society. Thus, clearly economic marginalisation results in social marginalisation of a person and vice- versa.